Switching mechanism for borehole apparatus



Feb. 29, 1944. M. SCHLUMBERGER 2,343,087

\ SWITCHING MECHANISM Foli'soim HOLEAPPARATUS 2 heets-Sheef. 1

Original Filed Jan. 23, 1940 I lZc lZa INVENTOR. Marcel Jail/Ma a;

BY I mRNEYS Feb.'2, 1944. M. H M E E 2,343,087

SWITCHING MECHANISM FOR BORE HOLE APPARATUS Original Filed Jazf.23, 1940 2 Sheets-Shaet z INVENTOR:

Marcel Jc/Wumbegen BY r I ATTZRNEYS I Patented l 'eb. 29, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE swrrcmNo. MECHANISM ron nonnno'm APPARATUS Marcel Schlumberger,

ronne, France; vested Custodian St. Gaudcna, Haute 611- I in the Alien; Property Original application .lanuary zs."194o, 'sena1.No. 315,157. Divided and this application July 23, 1941, Serial No. 403,649. In France February 24 Claims.

The present invention relates to'apparatus for controlling the firing of a plurality of explosive charges inf'a body such as a well casing perforator, for example, which is adapted to be located in a relatively inaccessible place.

In copending application Serial No. 315.157.,

filed January 23, 1940, for Gun per-forator, of

; cuits are adapted to be energized by a source of electrical energy located at the. suriace ol' the earth, one terminal of which is grounded toearth and the othe; terminal of which is connected through conventional switching means to the conductors in the cable.

It is an object of the present invention to provide" new and improved switching means for connecting each of the ignition circuits in a gun perforator of the above character selectively to a single conductor in the supporting cable, whereby a mono-conductor cable may be used for carrying out perforating operations in a bore hole.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved switching means of'the above character which is adapted to be actuated when a gun. in the perforator is fired.

A further object of the invention is to provide new and improved switchingfmeans of the above 1 character which is adapted to be actuated by the shock produced when one of' the guns of the per-- forator is fired. t Additional objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of several embodiments taken in conjunction with w the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1' is a schematic diagram illustrating Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the ignitin circuits for the gun perforator shown in Fig. 1;

and J Figs. 4, 5 and 6 areviews in longitudinal section of modified forms of switching means constructed according to the invention.

In Figs.- 1 andr2, the switching means of this 5 invention is shown as embodied in a gun perforator of the type disclosed in the above mentioned copending application. The glm perforator l0 includes a plurality of igniting circuits Ila, Ill) and lie whichare grounded to the body of the 10 perforator ID at the points l2a, [2b and 12c (Fig.

'3) The ignition circuit Ill? includes a plurality oi igniting filaments l3a, l3a' and I 30." for firing the corresponding guns. in the perforator I0.

The. igniting filaments l3a, l3a' and l3a -re- 15 quire difierent current values to bring them to red" heat and means (not shown) is provided for grounding the free end of the next filament when one filament has been destroyed by the fir g 0f I the gun corresponding thereto, as disclosed in the above mentioned copendlngapplication, so that the guns in the perforatorflllmay be fired successively by controlling the value of. the current fiowin'g'through the igniting circuit l I 12.1

' In similar fashion, the igniting circuit llbincludes a plurality of igniting filaments 13b, l3b' I and l3b'f, and the igniting circuit. llc includes a plurality of igniting filaments l3c, l3c'.and I" which may be energized successively by control.-

ling the values of the currents flowing through 3 the circuits llb and l Ic, respectively. 7

At the surface of the-earth is disposed a source of electrical energy l4, one terminal of which is grounded to earth at the .point l5 and the other terminal of. which is connected through a conventional switch It and variable resistance I! to a conductor It in the cable (not shown) on which the perforator I0 is supported in the bore hole. By means of the switching means 20 of thisinvention, the connections between the conductor I8 in the cable and-the ignlting'circuits lla, llb

and He are changed each time a gun is fired in. the periorator l0. The switching means 20 comprises a connector element 2] formed with -a. shouldered portion 22 on which a metallic sleeve 23 is adapted to be r0- .tatably niounted; Withinth'e lower portion of the sleeve 23 is disposed an insulating sleeve-24 in which is embedded a conducting ring 25. The conducting ring 25 is electrically connected 5 through a conductor 26 to a conducting sector 2l which is also embedded in the insulating mate-- rial 2l.'

V The conducting ring 25 is maintained in en- Easement with a contact rod 28 which is electrically connected to an axial conducting rod 29 connected at its upper extremity to the conductor it. The conducting rod 28 is insulated from the body of the periorator it by an insulating sleeve 30 and the axial conducting rod 29 is insulated in a similarmanner by an analogous insulating sleeve 3i.

Each of the igniting circuits is electrically connected to a contact member which is adapted to be engaged by the movable conducting sector 27! embedded in theinsulating material 26. Thus 10' the igniting circuit M a is connected to an insulated conducting rod 320; which has secured thereto a radially extending contact rod 230. which is disposed within an insulating sleeve Ma and which is adapted to engage the contact sector 2?! as the sleeve 21-3 is rotated with respect to the connector element 2i. In similar fashion, the igniting circuits ill) and Mc are conflected through insulated conductors 32b and 32c, re-v spectively, to radially extending contact rods 33b and die, respectively, which are also adapted to engage the contact sector 27! when the sleeve 23 is rotated (Fig. 2).

The connector element it is provided with a portion of reduced diameter on which is disposed a coil spring 36, one end of which is secured to the connector element 2! at the point till and the other end of which is secured to a link 88 which is connected to the rotatable sleeve 23 at the point 3b. The rotatable sleeve 23 is the teeth 40 to become disengaged from the recesses 4i and permitting the sleeve 23 to rotate with respect to the connector element 2|. As soon as the energy in the gases has been dissipated, the spring 43 returns the sleeve 42 to its normal position, The teeth 40 slide on the unrecessed part of the lower face or the sleeve 42 provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending teeth G0 which are adapted to be receivedin corresponding recesses 58 formed in a sleeve .62 which is carried on the connector element 2i so as to be slidable axially thereupon without rotation.

The sleeve 32 is normally urged downwardly by means of a coil spring 63, thereby engaging the teeth 32 on the sleeve 28 in the recesses 6i provided in the sleeve 32' and locking the sleeve 23 in position. Mounted on the sleeve 321s a ring 3 3 made of flexible material, such as rubher, for example, and which is of substantially the same diameter as the bore hole casing into ductor It, the conducting rod 29, the contact rod 28 engaging contact ring 25, the conductor 26, the conducting segment 2'! engaging contact rod 33a, the contact rod 32a and the igniting circuit lie to the ground point I211 on the perforator It, the circuit being completed through the liquid in the' bore hole and the intervening earth formations.

In order to ignite the lowermost filament 43a";

and eventually snap into the recesses 4|, again holding the sleeve 23 in fixed position;

The tensions in the'springs 36 and 43 are so adjusted as to permit the sleeve 23 to rotate through a sufiicient angle after it has been released to move the sector 21 out of engagement with the'rod 83a. and into engagement with the rod 33b in the igniting circuit Mb. The lowermost filament 53b" may then be ignited as indicated above in connection with the igniting fi1a-, ment Ella". In similar fashion the ignition of the filament itb" connects the source of electrical energy it to the igniting fialment l3c" which may then be ignited.

The ignition of the filament i3c" connects the source of energy M to the filament l3a'. Since the resistance of the latter-is diflferent from that of the filament ita", the variable resistance i! must be adjusted to give the current value required for its ignition. Once that has been done, the filaments i-Sia', i322 and I130 may be ignited in that order, the ignition of each resulting in the connection of the source of electrical energy to the next. When these have been fired and the source M is connected to the filament Illa, the current is again adjusted by the variable resistance ill, whereupon the filaments Ma, i3?) and 13c may be ignited, in that order.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the conducting rod 29, which is in electrical connection with the conductor i8, terminates in an enlarged portion 65, the lower surface of which is curved the switch it is closed and the variable resistor The igniting of the filament i311" fires the gun corresponding thereto, and the powder gases issuing from'the corresponding gunbarrel exert an upward thrust on the ring 44, thereby causing at Bit and is in engagement with a spherical conducting ball M. The conducting ball 41 rests upon a cup-shaped member 42 provided with a tubular shaft M! which is movable axially in a bushing Eilii secured within a tubular member 5i fixed to the connector element- 211, and insulated from the member 50 by an insulating sleeve 52.

The tubular element BI is provided with an outwardly extending flange 53 at the lower extremity thereof which is adapted to seat a compression spring 54$, the upper end of which is seated in an annular recess 55 formed in the lower face of the cup-shaped member 48, thereby maintaining the spherical ball 41 in good electrical contact with the enlarged portion 45 or the conducting rod 29.

At the lower end of the tubular portion 49 on the cup-shaped member 48 is fitted a contact plate 56 which is continuously engaged by the actuator 57 of a conventional type commutating switch 58 such as that shown in prior PatentNo. 2,210,125 to Raymond, for example. The actuator 57 is made of conductive material and it serves to complete the circuit from the conducting plate 58 to one element of the switch 58. The switch 58 is adapted to connect the conducting rod 29 selectively to the conductors 32a, 32b and and l I c, re-

ing rod 28 to the next igniting circuit which is to be energized. Y 4

v The modification illustrated in Fig. 5 is similar to that shown in Fig. 4, except that the spherical ball 41 is replaced by a cylindrical conductin mass 59 which is elastically suspended in the connector element by suitable supports 60 made of resilient material, such as rubber, for example. In this modification,"the switch 68 is provided with an extended actuator M which projects into a conical recess 82 formed in the lower face of the cylindrical mass 59. As in the previous case. when one of the guns in the perforator i0 is fired, the latter is moved laterally with'respect to'the mass 59 and the inclined surfac'e'oi the conical recess 82 therein depresses theswitch actuator 6!, thereby disconnecting the conducting rod 29 from one igniting circuit and connecting it to a different igniting circuit.

The modification shown in Fig; 6 is similar to that shown in Fig. 1. In this embodiment, how'- ever, the sleeve 23 is adapted to be rotated with respect to the connector element 2| by means of a. coil spring as which is secured on the connector element 2| at the point 66. The interior wall of the sleeve 23 is provided with a plurality of spaced recesses us, within which a transversely extending rod is adapted to be received for the purpose of holding the sleeve 28 in fixed position. The rod $6 is continuously urged into engagement with the recess 65 by means of a com-.

pression spring at, one end oi which is seated within an annular recess 68 formed in the wall of the connector element 2! and the other end of which is seated against a disc 59 secured to the rod A large mass iii is suspended within the connector element 29 on a flexible cable it and it is connected at its lower end by means of a flexible cable '32 to one arm d3 of a bell crank mecha; nism 76 which is. pivoted at lb. The other am it of the bell crani: mechanism id is provided with a slot it within which a pin E8 on the rod 66 is adapted to be received. The conducting rod energizing circuit. and switching means responsive to the iii-lug of any of saidgiin mechanisms .for controlling the connections between said ene'rgizing circuit and said respective ignition circults.

2. Gun apparatus comprising a body adapted tive ignition circuits.

3. Gun apparatuscomprising abody adapted to be lowered into a bore hole and having a plurality of explosive charges therein, a plurality of ignition circuits for said explosive charges, an energizing circuit, and switching means actuated by the gases produced when any of said explosive charges is fired, for controlling the connections betweensaid energizing circuit and said respective ignition circuits.

4. Gun apparatus comprising a body adapted to be lowered into a bore hole and having a plurality of gun mechanisms therein, a plurality of ignition circuits iorsaid gun mechanisms, eachoi said circuits'being connected at one end to round, a conductor extending from said body to the surface of the earth, a source of electrical energy at the surface of the earth, having one terminal connected to ground and a second terminal'connected to said conductor, and switching means responsive to the firing of any of said gun mechanisms for changing the connections between said conductor and said respective ignition circuits each time one of said gun mechanisms is fired.

,5. Gun apparatus comprising a body adapted to be lowered into a bore hole and having a plurality oi gun mechanisms therein, a plurality of ignition circuits for said gun mechanisms, each I ofsaid circuits bein connected atone end to Kill ence of the spring 63 through asurficient angle to bring the-conducting sector- 2 into engagement with the conducting rod 3% corresponding to the next igniting circuit lib. By this time the mass it has returned to its normal position and the rod 66 is again moved into engagement with one or the recesses by means 01 the compression spring Gil.

While several specific embodiments of the invention have been described above in detail, these rality of explosive charges therein, a plurality of ignition circuits for said explosive charges, each of said circuits bein connected at one end to ground. a conductoreiitending from said body to the surface of the earth, a source of electrical energy at thesuriace of the earth, having one terminal connected to ground and a second terininai connected to said conductor, and switch-' ing means actuated by. the gases produced when any of said explosive charges is fired for changing the connections between said conductor and 1 said; respectiveignition circuits each time one of saidexplcsive charges is fired.

7. A gun apparatus which comprises, in cornblnation, at least two series of gun meehanismsn nisms for switching the connection or said curv rent supply conductor from one of said ignition circuits to another one every time a gun mechanism is fired.

8. A gun apparatus which comprises, in combination, at least two series of gun mechanisms havin powder charges therein, an electric ignition circuit for each of said series, a conductor adapted to supply electric current to said electrio ignition circuits, and means rendered operative by expansion of the powder gases from any of said gun mechanisms after the firing thereof, for switching the connection of said current supply conductor from'one of said ignition circuits to another one,,every time one of said gun mechanisms is fired.

9. A gun apparatus which comprises, in coinbination, at least two series of gun mechanisms,

an electric ignition circuit for each of said s'eries, a conductor adapted to supply electric current to saw ignition circuits, and means ren dered operative by the shock. produced by the firing of any of said gun mechanisms, forswitching the connection or said current supply conductor from one of said ignition circuits 37o another one, every time one or said gun mechanisms is fired. z

10. A gun casing perforator which comprises, in combination, a plurality of units detachably assembled in consecutive series in a longitudinal direction, each unit being provided with gun mechanisms including at least two longitudinal powder chambers therein and at least one gun barrel for each chamber, electric igniting means for each of said chambers, the igniting means for one chamber in one unit being adapted to be connected automatically to the ignitingmeans i or the corresponding chamber of the next unit so as to form at least two ignition circuits extending through said series of units, an electrical conductor associated with said perforator, andmeans responsive to the firing of each of said gun mechanisms for connecting said conductor selectively to said ignition circuits.

11. A gun casing perforator which comprises, in combination, a plurality of units detachably assembled in consecutive series in a longitudinal direction, each unit being provided with at least two longitudinal powder chambers and at least one gun barrel for each chamber, electric igniting means for each of said chambers, the igniting means for one chamber in one unit being adapted to be connected automatically to the igniting means for the corresponding chamber of the next unit so asto form at least two ignition circuits extending through said series of units, an

' electrical conductor for supplying current to said circuits, and means rendered operative automatically by shocks produced by the successive firing ofeach of said chambers in each unit, for connecting said conductorfalternately to said ignition circuits.

12. A gun casing perforator which comprises, in combination, a, plurality of units detachably assembled in consecutive series in a longitudinal direction, eachunit being provided with at least two longitudinal powder chambers and at least one gun barrel for each chamber, electric igniting means for each of said chambers, the igniting 7 aeeaoe'? tions for connecting said conductor alternately to each of said ignition circuits, and inertia operative means adapted to be actuated by the successive firing of said powder chambers in each 5 unit for controlling the position of said switch.

13. A gun apparatus which comprises, in combination, at least two series of gun mechanisms, an electric ignition circuit for each of said series of gun mechanisms, a current supply conductor in mounted in said apparatus, a switch having an input terminal connected to said current supply conductor and at least two output terminals connected to said respective ignition circuits, an actuator for said switch, and means rendered op- ;5 erative by the shocks produced by the firing of said gun mechanisms for manipulating said switch actuator every time a shot is fired.

14. A gun apparatus which comprises, in combination, at least two series of gun mechanisms, an electric ignition circuit for each of said series of gun mechanisms, a conductor connected to a contact member mounted in said apparatus, a switch having an input terminal and at least two output terminals connected to said respec- 5 tive ignition circuits, an actuator for said switch,

said actuator; being made of conducting material and being connected to the input terminal of said switch, a conducting cup-shaped member mounted on said switch actuator, a conducting ball mounted between said cup-shaped member and said contact member, and means for maintaining said ball and cup-shaped member in yielding engagement with said contact member, whereby said switch will be actuated every time one of said gun mechanisms is fired to change the connection of said conductor from one ignition circuit to another.

15. A gun apparatus which comprises, in combination, at least two series of gun mechanisms, an electric ignition circuit for each of said series ofgun mechanisms, a conductor in said apparatus, a laterally yieldable conducting mass suspended on said conductor and having a conical recess formed in the lower face thereof, a switch having an input terminal and two output terminals connected to said respective ignition circuits, and an actuator for said switch, extending into the recess in the conducting mass and engaging the wall thereof, said actuator being made of conducting material and being connected to the input terminal of said switch, whereby'said switch will be actuated every time one of said gun mechanisms is fired to change the connection of. said conductor from one ignition circuit to another.

16. A gun apparatus which comprises, in combination, at least two series of gun mechanisms, an electric ignition circuit for each of said series of gun mechanisms, a conductor associated with said apparatus, a rotatable member on said apparatus for successively connecting said conductor to said respective ignition circuits, elastic means for constantly tending to rotate said rotatable member about said apparatus, locking means for retaining said rotatable member in fixed position with respect to said apparatus, and means rendered operative by the firing of any of said gunmechanisms for rendering 'said locking means temporarily inefiectiv ever time a gun mechanism is fired, whereby said rotatable member may rotate a suflicient' distanc to change the connection of said conductor from one ignition circuit to another.

-17. A gun apparatus which comprises, i-i combination, at least two series of-gun mechanisms,

an electric ignition circuit for each of said. series of gun mechanisms, a main conductor mounted in central position at the upper end of said apparatus, an annular member rotatably mounted on said end of the apparatus for successively connecting said main conductor to said respective ignition circuits, elastic means for constantly tending to rotate said annular member about said main conductor, locking means for normally retaining said annular member in fixed position with respect to said main conductor, and means rendered operative by the shock produced by the firing of any of said gun mechanisms for rendering said locking means temporarily inefiective every time a gun mechanism is fired, whereby the connection of said main conductor -may be switched from one ignition circuit to another.

18. A gun apparatus which comprises, in combination, at least two series of gun mechanisms, each having a powder charge therein, an electric ignition circuit for each of said series of gun mechanisms, a main conductor mounted in central position at the upper end of said apparatus,

' an annular member rotatably mounted on said ignition circuit to another.

19. A gun apparatus for use in a bore hole casing which comprises, in combination, at least two of powder therein, an electric ignition circuit for each of said series of gun mechanisms, a main conductor mounted in central position at the upper end of said apparatus, an annular member rotatably mounted on said end of the apparatus for successively connecting said main conductor to said respective ignition circuits, elastic means for constantly tending to rotate said annular member about said main conductor, a sleeve mounted for axially slidable' movement with respect to said apparatus, locking means carried by said sleeve for retaining said annular member in fixed position with respect to said main conductor and a flexible ring on said sleeve and adapted to fit snugly in said casing. said ring being adapted to be moved axially by the pressure of the powder gases released by the firing of a powder charge in any of said gun mechanisms for rendering said locking means temporarily ineffective every time a gun mechanism is fired, whereby the connection of said main conductor may be switched from one ignition circuit to another.

20. A gun apparatus which comprises, in combination, at least two series. of gun mechanisms, an electric ignition circuit for each of said series of gun mechanisms, 8. main conductoigmoimted in central position at the upper end 01' said 943-- paratus, an annular member rotatably mounted on said end of the apparatus for successively connecting said main conductor to said respecseries of gun mechanisms, each having a charge tive ignition circuits, said annular member being provided with at least one recess-therein, elastic means for constantly tending to rotate said annular member about said main conductor, a

transverse locking bar adapted to be received in said recess for normally retaining said annular member in fixed position with respect to said main conductor, spring means for urging said bar toward said recess, and inertiaoperative means actuated by the shock produced by the firing of any of said gun elements for temporarily withdrawing said locking bar from said recess every time a gun mechanism is fired, whereby .the' connection of said main conductor may be switched from one ignition circuit to another.

21. In apparatus for use in a bore hole drilled I into the earth, which apparatus includes an explosive charge; circuit means to fire'said explosive charge, at least one electrical circuit and on said support, circuit means to fire said explosive charge, and switching means responsive to the firing of said explosive charge for controlling automatically the connections between said electrical circuits and the energizing circuit.

23. Gun apparatus comprising a body adapted to be lowered into a bore hole and having a plurality of gun mechanisms therein, a plurality of ignition circuits for said gun mechanisms, an energizing circuit, switching means for controlling the connections between said energizing circuit and said respective ignition circuits, resilient means for urging said switching means in the direction to break one connection and make another connection, and locking means for retaining said switching means in fixed position, said locking means being adapted to be rendered inefiective eachtime one of said gun mechanisms is fired, to permit the resilient means to actuate the switching means thereby disconnecting the energizing circuit from one ignition circuit and connecting it to another ignition cirsuit.

24. Gun apparatus comprising a body adapted to be lowered into a bore hole and having a pluautomatically said switching'means, to disconnect the energizing circuit from one ignition" circuit and to connect it to another ignition circuit.

MARCEL SCI-ILUMBERGER. 

